Silver is set to be a beneficiary of the electric car revolution, analysts say.

The largest driver of silver consumption will be industrial uses such as batteries, electronics and solar energy, according to Canadian investment firm Sprott.

“Lithium and cobalt, two key battery metals, are currently in the spotlight, but investors should also understand that silver has a critical role to play in the shift to electric vehicles (EVs) and the growing demand for fossil-free forms of energy generation to support electrification,” senior portfolio manager Maria Smirnova said.

The International Energy Agency estimates that the number of electric cars on the road will reach at least 125 million – but could be as high as 220 million – by 2030.

By comparison, just 3 million electric cars were on the road at the end of 2017.

“As the technology boom fuels a dramatic shift in the vehicles we drive, the trends could give silver a turbocharge,” Ms Smirnova said.

>> Scroll down for a list of ASX stocks with exposure to silver, courtesy of leading ASX data provider MakCorp

“In fact, last year the auto sector’s demand for silver grew 5 per cent, while silver demand in photovoltaics increased 19 per cent.”

Silver has high electrical conductivity, making it useful for conductors and electrodes.

As self-driving vehicles start to become a reality, silver will also have a role to play.

The precious metal – which is produced as a by-product of copper, gold, lead, and zinc refining – is a component in technology such as collision avoidance systems.

“China estimates that self-driving vehicles will account for about 10 per cent of all cars on the road by 2030,” Ms Smirnova said.

The increasing push for green energy alternatives will also drive demand for silver.

Silver, in the form of silver paste – which contains about 90 per cent silver powder — is also necessary to make solar panels.

Intelligent highway to drive silver demand 

Besides your typical solar panels on rooftops, a quirkier use of the technology is being rolled out across China.

A new 1080m solar-powered road is being built in Jinan in eastern China. According to Bloomberg, the solar-panel paved highway will generate enough electricity to power the road’s lights and 800 homes.

Part of China’s vision with this project is also to provide “on-the-go” recharging of electric vehicle batteries.

In the past 18 months, the price of silver has traded between $US16 ($21) and $US18 an ounce – a far cry from the multi-decade peak of $50 per ounce the precious metal reached in April 2011.

“Although silver climbed nearly 15 per cent in 2016 and gained 6.4 per cent in 2017, it underperformed gold which rose 8.6 per cent in 2016 and 13.1 per cent in 2017,” Ms Smirnova noted.

But she is optimistic on where the price of silver will go, predicting that it can return to its multi-year base of $US21.

Pure-play silver companies listed on the ASX are a rare breed.

While Australia is a big silver producer, the commodity is typically tied up with base metals, principally lead and zinc.

This means there is nearly 190 ASX-listed companies with exposure to silver.

Here’s a list of ASX stocks with exposure to silver courtesy of leading ASX data provider MakCorp. (Scroll or swipe for full table)

ASX code Company One-year price change Price Jun 12 Market Cap
FCC FIRST COBALT (listed Nov 2017) N/A 0.645 73.8M
KRC KING RIVER COPPE 17.4 0.092 98.5M
WFE WINMAR RESOURCES 11 0.024 58.2M
NCZ NEW CENTURY RESO 5.79487179487 1.325 682.9M
TNO TANDO RESOURCES 4.23255813953 0.225 39.0M
DEG DE GREY MINING 3.04255319149 0.19 61.9M
CLL COLLERINA COBALT 2.73076923077 0.097 54.1M
KDR KIDMAN RESOURCES 2.40495867769 2.06 859.1M
SVY STAVELY MINERALS 2.17708333333 0.305 47.8M
AMI AURELIA METALS L 2.02777777778 0.545 479.3M
4CE FORCE COMMODITIE 2 0.048 20.2M
PEX PEEL MINING LTD 2 0.6 112.2M
WKT WALKABOUT RESOUR 1.83018867925 0.15 41.6M
AOA AUSMON RESOURCES 1.75 0.011 6.2M
AJM ALTURA MINING LT 1.62962962963 0.355 637.0M
G88 GOLDEN MILE (listed Jun 2017) 1.625 0.525 29.9M
GSC GLOBAL GEOSCIENC 1.54285714286 0.445 602.6M
AML AEON METALS LTD 1.44827586207 0.355 213.9M
ARV ARTEMIS RESOURCE 1.43421052632 0.185 120.3M
CCZ CASTILLO COPPER 1.375 0.038 22.6M
HGM HIGH GRADE METAL 1.34782608696 0.054 25.8M
ANW AUS TIN MINING L 1.28571428571 0.016 31.4M
FRC FORTE CONSOLIDAT 1.19047619048 0.046 11.1M
AXE ARCHER EXPLORATI 1.1875 0.105 19.3M
VXR VENTUREX RESOURC 1.16666666667 0.013 50.4M
NTL NEW TALISMAN GOL 1.14285714286 0.015 32.5M
GED GOLDEN DEEPS LTD 1.1 0.042 7.2M
RED RED 5 LTD 1.05263157895 0.078 95.5M
MML MEDUSA MINING 1.03333333333 0.61 131.9M
SPQ SUPERIOR RESOURC 1 0.012 8.9M
EQE EQUUS MINING LTD 1 0.034 25.6M
DTM DART MINING NL 1 0.008 5.1M
BDI BLINA MINERALS N 1 0.002 8.6M
RTR RUMBLE RESOURCES 1 0.068 23.4M
TKL TRAKA RESOURCES 1 0.042 13.9M
MTB MOUNT BURGESS 1 0.008 3.4M
SUP SUPERIOR LAKE RE 1 0.032 25.3M
ZNC ZENITH MINERALS 0.95652173913 0.18 38.3M
PSC PROSPECT RESOURC 0.909090909091 0.042 81.2M
SCI SILVER CITY MINE 0.904761904762 0.04 9.8M
AAR ANGLO AUST RES 0.9 0.095 29.3M
ORN ORION MINERALS L 0.833333333333 0.044 61.2M
MYL MYANMAR METALS L 0.777777777778 0.08 53.8M
ARL ARDEA RESOURCES 0.775700934579 0.95 101.8M
AYR ALLOY RESOURCES 0.75 0.007 10.2M
RDS REDSTONE RESOURC 0.727272727273 0.019 7.2M
PMY PACIFICO MINERAL 0.666666666667 0.01 9.8M
CLY CLANCY EXPLORATI 0.666666666667 0.005 15.6M
OGX ORINOCO GOLD LTD 0.630434782609 0.075 78.2M
MZN MARINDI METALS L 0.625 0.013 21.4M
SFR SANDFIRE RESOURC 0.624590163934 9.91 1.5B
TRY TROY RES LTD 0.604938271605 0.13 57.4M
RVR RED RIVER RESOUR 0.589743589744 0.31 153.1M
KOR KORAB RESOURCES 0.571428571429 0.033 10.6M
HXG HEXAGON RESOURCE 0.56 0.195 49.7M
KCN KINGSGATE CONSOL 0.538461538462 0.3 66.7M
IGO INDEPENDENCE GRP 0.514705882353 5.15 3.1B
BHP BHP BILLITON LTD 0.431180968564 33.69 175.1B
SPX SPECTRUM RARE EA 0.428571428571 0.01 5.4M
OZL OZ MINERALS LTD 0.422666666667 10.67 3.1B
RNU RENASCOR RESOURC 0.421052631579 0.027 22.9M
EVN EVOLUTION MINING 0.41393442623 3.45 5.8B
ADN ANDROMEDA METALS 0.4 0.007 7.2M
FEL FE LTD 0.4 0.028 12.2M
CAZ CAZALY RESOURCES 0.380952380952 0.058 13.6M
CWX CARAWINE RESOURCES (listed Dec 2017) 0.375 0.275 15.1M
ARS ALT RESOURCES LT 0.375 0.055 9.5M
VAL VALOR RESOURCES 0.375 0.011 17.7M
GML GATEWAY MINING 0.368421052632 0.026 21.8M
GBG GINDALBIE METALS 0.357142857143 0.019 29.9M
RMS RAMELIUS RESOURC 0.337209302326 0.575 295.1M
ADT ADRIATIC MET (listed Apr 2018) 0.325 0.265 25.5M
KSN KINGSTON RESOURC 0.277777777778 0.023 27.9M
CAP CARPENTARIA RESO 0.25 0.075 15.5M
PNN PEPINNINI LITHIU 0.25 0.02 10.7M
PNR PANTORO LTD 0.229166666667 0.295 236.2M
CVV CARAVEL MINERALS 0.22641509434 0.065 7.7M
EHX EHR RESOURCES LT 0.214285714286 0.085 10.6M
AVQ AXIOM MINING LTD 0.2 0.15 62.7M
BMG BMG RESOURCES LT 0.181818181818 0.013 5.0M
PIO PIONEER RESOURCE 0.176470588235 0.02 29.0M
VMC VENUS METALS COR 0.173913043478 0.135 11.1M
ZMI ZINC OF IRELAND 0.166666666667 0.007 10.5M
SI6 SIX SIGMA METALS 0.166666666667 0.014 5.9M
AQG ALACER GOLD -CDI 0.152380952381 2.42 690.4M
KGL KGL RESOURCES LT 0.149253731343 0.385 92.4M
MRQ MRG METALS LTD 0.125 0.009 6.0M
RND RAND MINING LTD 0.113360323887 2.75 165.4M
EUC EUROPEAN COBALT 0.0952380952381 0.069 55.6M
CXU CAULDRON ENERGY 0.0857142857143 0.038 12.8M
MLX METALS X LTD 0.0636942675159 0.835 517.3M
ALK ALKANE RESOURCES 0.0612244897959 0.26 134.1M
KTA KRAKATOA RESOURC 0.0606060606061 0.035 4.1M
TLM TALISMAN MINING 0.0588235294118 0.27 54.8M
BSX BLACKSTONE MINER 0.0526315789474 0.2 20.7M
PXX POLARX LTD 0.0352941176471 0.088 23.9M
AIV ACTIVEX LTD 0.0344827586207 0.15 26.6M
IAU INTREPID MINES L 0.0243902439024 1.05 15.2M
KZR KALAMAZOO RESOUR 0.0111111111111 0.091 8.1M
VML VITAL METALS LTD 0 0.01 16.5M
AGS ALLIANCE RESOURC 0 0.095 9.8M
NIU NIUMINCO GROUP L 0 0.002 6.0M
AUL AUSTAR GOLD LTD 0 0.008 14.8M
ADV ARDIDEN LTD 0 0.015 22.1M
TBR TRIBUNE RES LTD -0.00153846153846 6.49 325.2M
PRX PRODIGY GOLD NL -0.01 0.099 43.1M
MOY MILLENNIUM MINER -0.025 0.195 150.5M
MGV MUSGRAVE MINERAL -0.0405405405405 0.071 24.2M
GPR GEOPACIFIC RESOU -0.0588235294118 0.032 59.5M
NCM NEWCREST MINING -0.0634774609016 20.36 16.0B
LI3 LITHIUM CONSOLID -0.0761904761905 0.097 8.5M
MEI METEORIC RESOURC -0.0833333333333 0.033 20.1M
MRV MORETON RESOURCE -0.1 0.009 27.8M
ARD ARGENT MINERALS -0.133333333333 0.026 12.0M
RTG RTG MINING-CDI -0.136 0.108 52.7M
RDM RED METAL LTD -0.148148148148 0.115 23.1M
MEP MINOTAUR EXPLORA -0.153846153846 0.066 16.7M
AZS AZURE MINERALS L -0.160714285714 0.235 26.1M
SRI SIPA RESOURCES -0.166666666667 0.01 13.2M
SRN SUREFIRE RESOURC -0.176470588235 0.014 6.3M
HRR HERON RESOURCES -0.181818181818 0.63 154.7M
NTM NTM GOLD LTD -0.181818181818 0.045 16.2M
IPT IMPACT MINERALS -0.1875 0.013 17.2M
ALY ALCHEMY RESOURCE -0.2 0.016 6.3M
MRD MOUNT RIDLEY MIN -0.2 0.004 7.6M
G1A GML (Listed Sep 2017) -0.225 0.155 52.2M
PNX PNX METALS LTD -0.25 0.009 9.8M
TRT TODD RIVER RESOU -0.253846153846 0.097 6.5M
TYX TYRANNA RESOURCE -0.260869565217 0.017 12.1M
PUN PEGASUS METALS -0.266666666667 0.022 3.0M
SAU SOUTHERN GOLD LT -0.275362318841 0.25 12.8M
AZY ANTIPA MINERALS -0.277777777778 0.013 19.1M
MTC METALSTECH LTD -0.289473684211 0.135 13.9M
DME DOME GOLD MINES -0.291666666667 0.17 45.7M
CGN CRATER GOLD MINI -0.291666666667 0.017 5.0M
OGC OCEANAGOLD-CDI -0.293501048218 3.37 2.0B
CXO CORE EXPLORATION -0.308823529412 0.047 29.8M
KRM KINGSROSE MINING -0.31 0.069 50.4M
DDD 3D RESOURCES LTD -0.333333333333 0.004 3.3M
RIM RIMFIRE PAC MNG -0.333333333333 0.014 12.3M
TZN TERRAMIN AUSTRAL -0.342105263158 0.125 252.4M
CRL COMET RESOURCES -0.353846153846 0.042 8.2M
BBX BBX MINERALS LTD -0.35593220339 0.19 75.4M
ARM AURORA MINERALS -0.36170212766 0.03 3.5M
HMX HAMMER METALS LT -0.377777777778 0.028 7.8M
DTR DATELINE RESOURC -0.384615384615 0.024 17.2M
AZI ALTA ZINC LTD -0.384615384615 0.008 11.0M
GMR GOLDEN RIM RESOU -0.392857142857 0.034 10.4M
ENT ENTERPRISE METAL -0.454545454545 0.018 6.8M
AGD AUSTRAL GOLD LTD -0.457142857143 0.095 50.7M
CHK COHIBA MINERALS -0.466666666667 0.008 4.5M
PSM PENINSULA MINES -0.47619047619 0.011 7.8M
COY COPPERMOLY LTD -0.521739130435 0.011 15.2M
THX THUNDELARRA LTD -0.52380952381 0.02 12.7M
RGL RIVERSGOLD (listed Oct 2017) -0.525 0.095 8.3M
CZL CONSOLIDATED ZIN -0.533333333333 0.007 6.4M
AOU AUROCH MINERALS -0.555555555556 0.08 7.8M
AKN AUKING MINING LT -0.571428571429 0.003 2.8M
MRP MACPHERSONS RESO -0.579487179487 0.082 28.8M
FNT FRONTIER RESOURC -0.588235294118 0.014 1.5M
AHK ARK MINES LTD -0.594594594595 0.075 3.3M
PGI PANTERRA GOLD LT -0.6 0.024 3.1M
SMI SANTANA MINERALS -0.615384615385 0.01 4.0M
IVR INVESTIGATOR RES -0.617647058824 0.013 9.6M
SVL SILVER MINES LTD -0.644444444444 0.048 25.1M
VAR VARISCAN MINES L -0.666666666667 0.003 3.7M
MNC METMINCO LTD -0.666666666667 0.009 8.2M
ICG INCA MINERALS LT -0.6875 0.005 15.6M
TAS TASMAN RESOURCES -0.694444444444 0.055 24.9M
HDY HARDEY RESOURCES -0.75 0.003 6.1M
WPG WPG RESOURCES LT -0.810810810811 0.014 12.7M
WML WOOMERA MINING L -0.865 0.135 15.8M
TTM TITAN MINERALS L -0.908571428571 0.032 59.8M
LSA LACHLAN STAR LTD -0.933333333333 0.008 5.3M
DRK DRAKE RESOURCES -0.94 0.018 5.7M
SL1 SYMBOL MINING LT -0.993468468468 0.029 16.4M
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Silver Mines (ASX:SVL) is a pure play silver explorer, but in terms of share price growth it certainly isn’t seeing the investor love.

Over the past year its share price has slipped over 64 per cent.

Silver Mines’ primary focus is it Bowdens silver project in New South Wales, where it recently defined a maiden reserve of 66.3 million ounces of silver, 130,800 tonnes of zinc and 95,300 tonnes of lead.

Brisbane-based Metals479 is another pure-play silver company, but it has temporarily delayed its plans to list on the ASX while it mulls over a potentially hot project buy.

The Nevada-focused silver play which counts Canadian billionaire investor Eric Sprott as its biggest shareholder — previously launched a $7 million initial public offer in March with the aim of listing in May.

Adriatic Metals (ASX:ADT), which only just landed on the ASX in May and is primarily focused on lead and zinc exploration, impressed investors yesterday with high grades of gold, silver and zinc following initial drilling at its Vares project in Bosnia & Herzegovina.

The company’s share price is up 35 per cent since it lit up the boards at the start of last month.

Drilling delivered a “combination of highest grade and thickest intercept to-date” including 64 metres at 4.6 grams of gold per tonne, 537g/t of silver and 10.8% of zinc.

CEO Geraint Harris said the “exciting” results were “some of the highest grade polymetallic results on the ASX” and “had the potential to add significant tonnes to any future resource”.

Multi-commodity player King River Copper (ASX:KRC) has notched up some big gains in the past year, with a 1740 per cent increase in its share price.

More recently the company has been focused on vanadium, but it also has a gold, silver and copper gold project in Western Australia.

 

Stockhead is proud to use MakCorp as a provider of great value, accurate and reliable data on ASX-listed mining stocks. For more information head to MakCorp’s website.

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This article does not constitute financial product advice. You should consider obtaining independent advice before making any financial decisions.